Apple Device Management for Beginners

If you're diving into Apple device management for the first time, let this comprehensive guide explain the basics so you can help your organization or school get the most out of its technology initiative.

What is Apple Business Manager?

Whether you are an IT professional or have the task of maintaining your office’s technology, you know that having the ability to enroll devices and purchase applications in volume can feel like a life saver. Chances are, if you have found yourself here, you’re working with Apple devices in your business and may have heard about Apple Business Manager. Let’s take a look at what Apple Business Manager is, a little bit about the change and why you should strongly consider using it to help make your everyday device management tasks easier, faster and more simplified.

What is Apple Business Manager and why was it made?

Apple Business Manager is Apple’s newest way for IT teams and businesses to automate their device deployment, app deployment and purchasing, and content distribution while working seamlessly with a mobile device management (MDM) solution. At this point, some of you may be thinking, “Doesn’t Apple already have a Volume Purchasing Program (VPP) and a Device Enrollment Program (DEP)?” Yes, they do! Apple Business Manager combines the power of DEP and VPP in one consolidated service to allow you to automatically deploy Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple TV devices directly to users — configured with settings, security controls, apps and books. For a deeper dive, check out our blog on why DEP and VPP gave way to Apple business Manager.

As mentioned, Apple Business Manager helps you quickly and easily deploy your Apple devices to employees, automatically enroll them within Jamf without physically touching or prepping each device, simplify your setup and onboarding process, as well as get more out of your MDM. Apple Business Manager also allows you to create Managed Apple IDs, a special account type that allows you to share your Apple Business Manager account with others in your organization.

What does that mean for you, the user?

You have a few options as you consider how to approach Apple Business Manager. First, if your organization is already enrolled in Apple’s deployment programs (formerly called VPP and DEP), you are able to use your existing tokens until they expire.

Apple has made it clear that Apple Business Manager is the best platform for businesses using their products going forward. The migration to Apple Business Manager is free, fast and easy. Head to deploy.apple.com to begin your migration. Once complete, your new Apple Business Manager account will show your server tokens and other associated content.

Note: Once you make the upgrade to Apple Business Manager, you will no longer have access to the Apple deployment program website.

If you are starting from scratch, enrolling into Apple Business Manager program is also relatively quick and easy. Any business is eligible to enroll in Apple Business Manager at business.apple.com. To get started, you will need to complete the online enrollment process by providing information including name, phone number and a valid D-U-N-S number for your company.

Once you are a part of the program and have downloaded your Apple Business Manager tokens, you are able to upload these tokens into your Jamf account by simply following the onscreen instructions.

Having the ability to enroll devices and manage the content that you have bought in volume all from the same portal location is going to streamline the amount of time you spend enabling your employees to perform at their best.

Depending on your needs, Jamf offers two solutions to help you integrate with Apple Business Manager and start managing your fleet of Apple devices today.